Teach Me How
by SgtPastulio
Summary: We have 100 ways. Finally tackling the 100 Theme Challenge! SetoXOC
1. Inevitable

**Inevitable**

The titanium of the duel disk was cool against her bare arm, goose bumps rising to her flesh as she let the device click into place. Ren extended her arm, studying herself carefully in the mirror as the blade outstretched and slid into position, chirping affirmatively when it had finished its transformation.

Ren held up her arm in an aggrandized "it's time to duel" Yugi Moto pose, smirking behind her fist. She had never been one for the game of Duel Monsters, loathed the idea of it, really. And she still felt like a complete ass, even in the privacy of Seto Kaiba's closet, but she had to admit… she looked pretty cool.

"Kuroki." Ren yelped in surprise, whirling around and flailing to get her arms behind her back, knocking pomade and cologne to the floor in the process. Kaiba stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, a smirk touching his lips.

She scowled, a habit she had picked up from the CEO. "You scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sure. I'll have a pink one made for you if you like it."

"Blow me; I was just curious whether it contained the tears of your enemies in it or not."

Kaiba scoffed, striding over and gently pulling her arms from behind her. He smirked, and shook his head. "I'll have to teach you how to use it, so the next time you try one of those on you don't look like a complete idiot."

Ren's jaw dropped. "Please! I make this thing look good!"

The brunette shook his head, rolling his eyes as he left the closet. "It's on the wrong arm."


	2. Effort

**Effort**

"I don't know what you expect me to do with those."

Seto Kaiba leveled Ren Kuroki with an even gaze, a set of lingerie in each hand. "_One _of these," he specified, studying the irritated woman carefully. "I want you to choose one. You can learn a lot about a woman from the lingerie that she wears."

"And you can learn a lot about a guy from the lingerie that he _buys." _Ren raised an eyebrow, her arms folded neatly across her chest. "You're testing me?"

Seto exhaled an exasperated sigh, thrusting the hangers in her direction. "I'm trying to give you a gift, Kuroki."

"You're testing me."

"I'm being _nice_."

"Which one is the wrong one?"

"_Kuroki."_

"_Ren!" _She snapped, catching the towering brunette off guard. "My goddamn name is Ren! And if you want to see me in either of those, you'd better start using it!"

They both paused, caught in a stalemate as they stared each other down. Ren was the first to look away, glancing down at the hangers and the frilly, lacy underthings that hung from them. She shook her head, an irritated smile quirking at the corners of her mouth as she let her fingers run over the lace of the deep blue bustier. "Fuck's sake, Seto…" Her eyes flicked north. "You went all the way to Victoria's Secret, stood in that store and thought _long and hard _about what to get me, and you don't even wanna call me—"

"Ren." It was the female's turn to be surprised, her eyes wide and brows knit curiously. He… listened. Seto shook his head, and laid one of the hangers on the bed. "I just wanted you to have something nice. And if it makes any difference," he offered her the remaining hanger, "I would prefer you in this."

She smiled then, teeth raking across her bottom lip. She took the garment and glanced back up at Kaiba. "It makes all the difference in the world."


	3. Sadness

**Sadness**

Parents were not discussed in the Kaiba household. The main reason being that any such mention of the late patriarch brought bile to the back of Seto's throat, and sent a hush over Mokuba the likes of which Ren had never experienced before. Ren could not begin to surmise the extent of the torture the boys had gone through at the hands of Gozaburo Kaiba. It was a pain that she wouldn't wish on any human, and though she loathed the eldest Kaiba brother, there would always be a part of her that would ache for his childhood.

But even for all he had experienced, Seto couldn't imagine a child raised by biological parents who just plain _didn't like her. _

Seto had met the Kurokis once, and that had been enough for him. They were the picture of the family Seto had always imagined being a part of as a child. A successful father, a beautiful, doting mother, and their three children, living in the suburbs with a large yard and a couple of dogs. But it was all a façade, their perfect nuclear family.

Reiko, the matriarch, had received them with open arms and a demure smile, positively gushing over the Kaiba brothers while simultaneously chastising her daughter for her shoes being in such poor condition. Her disapproval shone brightly through pained smiles, masking her judgment with a perceived "motherly love". Ren's enthusiasm was quick to fade from that point on, the fire within her dimming as she took her first steps into her childhood home.

The youngest girl, Michiyo, was a miniature of her sister, with the same auburn hair and honey eyes, but there was something fearful behind them that Seto had never seen in Ren. As the two embraced, Reiko boasted that she had received top marks in all of her classes and was on her way to a career in medicine. The young girl smiled nervously, and Seto could hear a muffled "I'm so proud of you," mumbled into her shoulder from the oldest Kuroki.

He met the middle child, Karin, in the sitting room, in polite conversation with her father about the odds of Newcastle United taking the FA Cup that year. Things seemed to come more easily to Karin; though she was a bit tense around her father, she smiled without fear, greeting them with firm handshakes and enthusiastic grins. Karin was easy to take in, Ren insisting that it was her that had given her sister most of her backbone and spunk.

Ken Kuroki was not so easy to endure, taking in the Kaibas with a rigid scowl. He was a smaller man than Seto, with dark eyes and a head of thick black hair, but the lines in his face spoke volumes for the sort of man he was, and what he had done to acquire what he had. He ran the Kuroki chain of hospitals, he explained, and that when he was set to retire, Michiyo would be the one to take over the family business, since this one here hadn't turned out how he'd expected, glowering at his eldest.

Ren's brows were knit, her jaw set as she held her tongue. A fire raged behind her eyes that Seto had never seen before, and thought that this man was the sole reason she was hesitant to ever return home. Ken Kuroki had no hesitations, however, and spent the dinner gushing over his two youngest, mockingly inquiring about Ren's endeavors. "Still taking pictures?"

After a moment of uncertainty, she gave a firm nod, eliciting a brief snort from her father. "Oh, Ren dear," her mother had lamented. "Don't you think it's time you started thinking about a real career? Banking… teaching…?" She glanced at Seto, a soft smile touching her lips. "At least marry a man who can look after you."

As Seto opened his mouth to protest, Ren banged her fists on the table, rising to her feet and sending the chair clattering aside. "Mother!" She spat, the word like venom on her tongue, "He is my _boss! _And I have the potential to be so much more than somebody's wife." Her napkin slapped against the table and she took her leave, Mokuba fast on her heels as she fled the dining room. Kaiba left without a word just moments behind them, meeting his brother and nanny in the back of the limousine, with Ren visibly holding in tears. Her hand was pressed over her mouth, her brows knit and her eyes shut tight against the world.

The door slammed behind him and her eyes slid open, red and quivering. She shook her head, a pained smile touching her lips. "Sucks," she spat. "Moms have got this fucking way about them that make you feel like the biggest scumbag in the world." Her voice cracked and she gave her head a violent shake, clapping a hand over her mouth again. "And _he _can't even pretend like he loves me."

Mokuba gave her hand a squeeze, settling in next to her. His arms circled her waist as best they could and he laid his head on her shoulder. "It's okay, Ren."

"No, it isn't!" She snapped, tears beginning to fall. "What the Hell kind of monster can't love his own daughter?"

"A monster." Seto spoke, meeting the woman's gaze. He remembered his own childhood, how it was lost to rigid tutoring and training in the hopes that he would some day take over his stepfather's company. Much like the little girl he had met today.

"Ren." Mokuba said, brushing tears from her chin. "Do you want to go home?"

"Fuck no—I can't stand-!"

"No, I mean…" He gazed up at her, angling his head at Seto. "Home."

She glanced between the brothers and realization washed over her, tears spilling onto her cheeks as she nodded vigorously. "Yeah." Her voice cracked again, her grip on Mokuba's hand tight. "Please. I would love to go home."

Seto gave a short nod, leaning his head to the cab of the limousine. "Isono. Take us home."


	4. Insomnia

**Insomnia**

Ren couldn't exactly say that she was surprised to learn that Kaiba only slept for about five hours every night. He usually left for work at about seven in the morning, and Ren had caught him awake, light streaming from beneath his bedroom door at one in the morning on more than one occasion.

She understood why he did it. He was a busy man, the president of a multi-million dollar corporation; of course he was no stranger to all-nighters. It was how he had risen to the top. And he had been even busier still over the past weeks, in preparation of the new deal that the Kaiba Corporation had been negotiating with Industrial Illusions. She felt bad for him, really. The cooperation of Industrial Illusions and KaibaCorp was imperative to the success of Duel Monsters, which was a huge weight on Seto's shoulders, and that meant constant interaction with _Pegasus. _Ren had met the man once. She had needed a very stiff drink afterwards.

Nevertheless, Ren could sympathize with his full plate. She could understand why he didn't sleep. Her question was "how?"

Her first thought was cocaine. Only coke could keep him that efficient on so little sleep. But she soon reconsidered; he was billionaire CEO Seto Kaiba. There had to be a more responsible option. And it was just so simple.

Coffee.

Seto lived, breathed, and worshiped at the holy church of Starbucks. He had a cup each morning, brewed to his specifications, and by the time he arrived at work, his secretary had a fresh latte waiting on his desk. After lunch he would typically make his second Starbucks run, either for another latte, or iced coffee with hazelnut and vanilla, depending on the weather. Another pot of coffee would be brewed immediately after dinner, and apart from the one cup Ren would have, Seto would down the rest on his own.

She thought briefly of his odds of having a heart attack as she rode the elevator up to the very top of the KaibaCorp building, but brushed those thoughts away as the doors slid open. Ice rattled in the matching Starbucks cups as she strode through the waiting room, nodding at the quiet secretary and pushing into Kaiba's office. The door clicked quietly behind her and she scanned the room for the CEO, nearly dropping her drinks when she finally found him.

He was collapsed onto the couch on the opposite end of the room, snoring quietly into a plush off-white pillow. She grinned openly, shaking her head. At least he was getting _some _sleep. She strode to the couch and kneeled beside him, setting the coffees on the floor. "Seto," she whispered, tapping his cheek. "Wake the hell up."

His eyes flickered open, shifting hazily across her face. Their eyes met and he flinched in realization, burying his face in the pillow again. A muffled _"god dammit"_ escaped him and Ren grinned, shaking the drink next to his ear. "You've got a meeting in forty-five minutes. Thought I'd be nice and bring you a pick-me-up."

He shifted onto his side, lifting his head from the pillow. "What is it?"

"Tch! Fuck you, I know what you like. Just drink it."

With a cocked brow, he took the drink and took a long swig, downing nearly a third of it in one go. His eyes slid closed again, and the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Ren grinned broadly in return, knowing that this was the closest she would get to a thank you from him.

"You need a raise." Ren smirked. That was even better.


	5. Confusion

**Confusion**

"Pick up my dry cleaning, Kuroki. Scrub my bathroom floor, Kuroki. Get down on your knees and _service my balls_, Kuroki." Ren thrust the ticket at the perturbed cleaner, a scowl tugging at her mouth as she contemplated all of the ways she could destroy Seto Kaiba's life before he got home from work. Lately he had been treating her like his personal assistant, rather than his brother's caretaker, and it had been wearing her patience and good nature to the breaking point. She was beginning to behave more and more like the man; a constant sneer at her lips, her jaw almost always set, poised to snap out a witty insult at any moment. She had expected to experience a certain attitude adjustment with her job at the Kaiba estate, but was hoping for something more along the lines of an increase in swag, rather than anxiety.

"Here you are, dear." The cleaner announced, flopping five garment bags onto the counter. She straightened up, leveling Ren with a deadpan gaze. "We'll send you the bill with our next invoice—"

"Woah woah woah, hold on." Ren snatched up the top bag. The coat he had worn at Battle City. Yuck. "This is massive."

The cleaner raised an eyebrow. "Mister Kaiba has always been tall."

Ren sighed. "No, not like that. It's just so… wide. The shoulders."

"And?"

Her brows knit, trying to wrap her head around the physics of Seto Kaiba. He wasn't that big. He wasn't. Ren spent a large portion of her day staring at the back of Seto Kaiba's head, either in a rage, or fantasizing, or in a rage because she was fantasizing. She almost always saw him from behind, and had pieced together a cohesive enough map of his body (embellishing certain aspects) to know that the dynamics of that fucking coat made absolutely no sense. She shook her head, dismissing it. "It's fine. It's gotta be right."

She thanked the cleaner and gathered up the five massive garment bags, hefting them over her shoulder. She cursed her small stature, wobbling just slightly under the weight of the bulky garments. Ren was going to get to the bottom of this nonsense. She knew that she was small, but there was no way that he was that big.

It wasn't until a couple hours later that Seto returned home from work, and Ren was ready and waiting to strike. She sat peering over the back of the couch, studying his movements carefully. He peeled off his suit jacket and Ren's leg twitched. She exhaled a breath, her face growing warm, as she watched him hang the accoutrements. His muscles shifted beneath the fine cotton shirt, the hair at the back of his neck ruffled from a long day's work. He ran a hand through chestnut hair, giving her a rather delicious view of his back at work. She had to focus hard to not mentally undress him as she usually did, but the task proved even more difficult by the fact that he wouldn't. Fucking. Stop. Moving. It was impossible to get a good grasp of just how wide across the man was while he was shifting around like a damn supermodel.

Taking her fate into her own hands, Ren rose from the couch and approached the CEO, laying her hands on his shoulders and forcing them still, which was a feat, considering her height. Kaiba had nearly a foot on her, and it drove her absolutely mad. As if he weren't high and mighty enough, he was literally able to look down on her.

"Sexual harassment is not tolerated at the Kaiba Corporation, Kuroki."

"That's nice. Stand still." She ran her hands over his chest, across his clavicles, and all the way to the ends of his shoulders. She was stunned that he had complied, but didn't question it, using the blessing of a stunned Kaiba to start counting palms across the width of his chest. Now that she was here, she could really take in just how broad his shoulders were. They were really… fantastic shoulders.

"Kuroki."

Ren glanced back up at the CEO, a smirk tugging at her lips. She let her fingers drag across the length of his chest once again, coming to rest at the base of his neck. "Does this make you uncomfortable?"

Kaiba scowled, earning a broad, teasing grin from the nanny. "Shut up."


	6. Stress

**Stress**

Seto does not know his limits. Well… He knows them. But he pushes them. In Duel Monsters. In business. And in drinking. Ren was more than amused to find that she could drink her boss under the table, until she had the misfortune of dealing with his hangover the next morning. From then on she learned that Seto Kaiba and alcohol were a volatile combination that was to be avoided at all costs.

He was fine when it was just a glass of wine at dinner, or a cocktail before bed. He was a Manhattan kind of guy, she had found. But when he decided that he was in the frame of mind for _eleven_ of them, or that shots were a _brilliant _idea, he was absolutely impossible to deal with. Seto could handle five. Hell, Ren could even admit, he was _fun_ with five drinks under his belt. At six, he started getting a bit more incoherent. At eight, he began slurring. At ten, he would fight his nausea by staring intently into his cell phone, and had once sent a wildly inappropriate text message to Yugi Moto's landline, and Ren had thanked every god she could think of that they had never received it. This was the stage they were at tonight.

"_I have a penis" _was the beautifully eloquent text message that had interrupted _War of the Worlds, _and Ren soon found herself driving the Genesis down to the company to fetch the CEO. She found him facedown on his desk loosely gripping a highball glass that reeked of cognac, the menu screen of the movie _Iron Man_ replaying on his dimming monitor.

"Fuckin' A, Kaiba…" Ren shook her head and dumped her bag by the door, striding across the office to pick things up. She shifted the empty glass aside, careful not to jostle the sleeping dragon. She straightened a stack of paperwork, picked his tie up off the floor, and moved to shut the computer off. As the movie went silent, Seto seized her wrist, finally lifting his head from the desk.

"-was watching that."

She raised an eyebrow, an amused smirk touching her lips. "Uh huh."

"'m **basically **Tony Stark." He slurred, sitting up and shaking his head. "Except I don't have a _fuckin' _super suit, or a _fuckin' _ginger secretary. Just a _goddamn __**you**__."_

Ren rolled her eyes. "You're drunk as shit."

"You are _vulgar _as shit." As Ren opened her mouth to spit back a reply, Kaiba's face went pale. He balled a fist over his mouth and Ren's stomach flipped as she went into damage control mode. She nearly tripped over herself helping him to his feet, and praised the lord that he didn't vomit on the white carpet. She stood politely against the opposite wall of the executive bathroom, arms crossed as he violently purged the alcohol from his system.

As the sound of retching faded to the flush of the toilet, Ren approached the CEO, a warm washcloth in her hand. A smirk played across her lips as she squatted down next to him, "Feel any better, bossman?"

With his head resting on the porcelain seat, he blindly slapped her away, failing to land a hit. She swatted his hand with the warm cloth, extending it to him. "Don't be a dick. You'd have probably drowned in your own vomit if I hadn't come along."

Lifting his head, Seto sent a scathing glare in her direction, but took the cloth all the same, wiping his face clean. "I'm fine," he mumbled, "How did you know to come?"

Ren smirked. "_You have a dick_." She shrugged. "Been there, done that. Thought you'd need someone to clean you up."

He groaned, sitting back onto his backside, resting his head in his hands. "_God dammit," _he grumbled.

"Bad day?"

"The worst," he replied without thought. He lifted his head; the cogs turning slowly even behind the red in his eyes. "… Why the _hell _are you here?"

She smiled, leaning her back against the wall and sliding to the floor. "You know how when Mokuba is sick, he likes to have fresh linens, and he gets pissy if his orange juice isn't _ice cold_ at all times?"

"Mm."

"I'm an expert at knowing what Kaibas need." Ren grinned. "And you needed a sober driver."

Seto paused, slowly working their conversation over in his alcohol-induced haze. Eventually he scoffed, stumbled to his feet, and shuffled back into the office, Ren hot on his heels. He collapsed onto the sofa in the corner of the room, and Ren followed him, fetching a glass of ice water from the mini fridge. "Come on, dick." She sighed, taking a seat on the couch, extending him the glass of water. "You're gonna have a wicked hangover if you don't drink this. And then you're gonna be even moodier than usual and you're _probably _gonna take it out on me." She thrust the glass at him, a bit of water slopping onto her hand. "_Drink it."_

He lifted his head for a brief moment, meeting her with a skeptical gaze before taking the glass, downing half of it in one go. He let it rest against the foot of the sofa as he lay back down, letting his head rest atop her thigh. His eyes flickered open again, peering through sweat-damp bangs. "Why're you doing this…? Nobody does this for me… This's so _stupid_, I haven't done this shit since I was a teenager."

A smile tugged at the corner of Ren's mouth. He was still slurring. She let her hand settle into his hair. It was soft, and warm, and she soon found a slow rhythm of pulling her fingers through the chestnut locks. It was something that she had often done for her sisters when they were stressed, and she was pleased to find that it had an equally calming effect on the millionaire. She was surprised at just how happy it made her to see him in such a peaceful state.

"I'm here because you needed it," She finally spoke. "And because no one did it for me."

Seto's eyes slid shut and he hummed his approval. He let his legs slip up and over the arm of the couch, and he crossed his arms over his stomach, settling in for a long nap. "D'you want me to take you home?"

He shook his head. "Here's fine."

Ren sighed, fingers still moving as she let her eyes close, her head lolling back against the sofa. Her neck would be sore in the morning, but as long as he was happy she supposed it would be just fine after all. And though she would never admit it, even to herself, she found that she was a little bit happy here too.


	7. Underworld

Underworld

Ren clutched her thick knit scarf to her throat to guard against the biting winds, her hair whipping wildly about her face as she strode briskly through downtown Domino. She had set out on a mission to find a nice hole-in-the-wall Filipino restaurant and had found herself in a rather seedy neighborhood, feeling glaringly out of place with her Coach crossbody and Loubou boots. The red sole was like an exclamation point against the cracked pavement; Ren cursed Seto Kaiba for them, and swore to jab them through his eyes if she made it out of this neighborhood alive.

She stuffed her hand into her pocket, swearing up and down that she would look up directions before she went wandering around the city. She was an awful navigator, she knew it, and no matter how firm a grasp she thought she had on Domino, she always managed to trick herself into taking a shortcut, which usually landed her in situations like this. She was an idiot, and the adobo just was not worth a knife to her kidney.

Feeling the weight of a gaze on her back, her hand dove into her bag for her phone and quickly dialed the first number that came to mind. It rang twice, three times, before he finally picked up.

"What?" Ren rolled her eyes. She supposed that "hello" was just too many syllables for Kaiba. He had to cut right to the chase.

"I'm lost."

"What."

"I'm lost in the seedy part of town. Y'know, where they have the best food? And no, your adobo is not worth it. Can you send someone to get me?"

"How are you lost? You left twenty minutes ago."

"You underestimate how good I am at getting lost."

There was a long sigh on the other end of the line, and Ren took the opportunity to glance about at her surroundings. A liquor store on one corner. A skinny dog wandering aimlessly without a collar. She hopped over a pothole and a discarded condom in the middle of the crosswalk, looking for some sort of way back to the main street. There wasn't even a Starbucks in sight. "Kaiba, do you want me to die today?" She strode past a group of high school boys, whose gaze followed her as she walked on.

"You aren't going to die; stop being a drama queen. Where are you?"

She whipped her head around, spotting a cluster of dingy street signs. "Trinity and Peters."

"Are you an idiot?" Kaiba snapped.

"Yes."

"How did you get there! Were you _trying_ to get lost? And mugged?"

"Can you chastise me later?" She peeked over her shoulder. The boys were gone. "I'm like, really gonna die."

There was a brief whine of interference and the line went dead, her nerves sending her heart plummeting into her stomach. "Seto?"

With an angry snarl, she stuffed her phone back into her bag and picked up her pace, wanting desperately to be back on a more populated street. Before she could plan her next move, two of the boys had stepped from one of the side-alleys right in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She took a step backwards, onto the foot of the third kid. They were all pretty tall for high school boys, but then again, a lot of people were tall next to Ren. She set her jaw, hands fisted in her pockets. "Move."

"That's a nice bag you've got." The tallest one quipped, flipping his baseball cap around. She was able to get a better look at his face then, the idiot. He had trouty lips and a wiry goatee, the epitome of asshole-chic. "Looks expensive."

"It was. Move."

"Shoes, too. Not a scuff on 'em. Girls 'round here don't dress like that."

Ren's brows furrowed, locking eyes with the smirking boy. "You're really familiar with women's accessories." She quirked her head to the side. "You do drag?"

The boy bared his teeth, taking a sudden step forward, sending Ren stumbling into the one behind her. "Gimme the bag, and the shoes. And the coat too. My lady could use a nice coat."

"I don't think it'll fit you."

Anger flashed in Baseball Cap Guy's eyes, and Ren gasped as the boy behind her grasped her by the shoulders. In a moment of panic, she slammed the heel of her boot into the top of his foot. His grip loosened, and she seized the opportunity to run, shoulder checking him hard as she fled down another alley.

'_Bless you, Christian Louboutin, these are the most comfortable shoes I've ever had to flee for my life in.' _Her feet pounded against the pavement, weaving around puddles and dumpsters as she attempted escape. The trampling of the three boys behind her was growing louder, and she only hoped that she would run into someone, a police officer, anyone who might be able to help her.

As she approached the corner, a silver Audi screeched to a halt in front of her, putting the kibosh on her escape. _Fuck. _She skittered to a halt and her eyes flickered wildly, searching for any sort of escape route. Her heart pounded in her chest, and just when she was sure she was about to faint, the car door swung open. A wave of relief washed over her, and she didn't think she had ever been so happy so see Seto Kaiba in her entire life. His lips were set in a firm scowl, stopping the three boys in their tracks. She could practically see the cogs turning in their heads, working out their next move.

The stockier boy, the one who had grabbed her, shifted his foot just slightly, and Seto turned on him, jerking his torso forward. "Go!"

The boy fumbled, tripping over himself as he fled with his comrades. Baseball Cap Guy looked back over his shoulder, slowing his stride, and Seto took a step forward. Panic crossed his face and he didn't need to think twice, sprinting down the alley and diving down the cross street. Ren exhaled a sigh she hadn't noticed she'd been holding in, throwing her arms around her boss. "Hoooo boy, I almost died today."

Seto shook her off, grasping her firmly by the shoulders. His brows were knit, and he frowned hard as he looked her over. "You are the stupidest woman I know."

"I know."

"You're not funny!" He snapped, giving her arms a shake. He took a quick glance at her, shaking his head. "Why the hell do you look so nice? You look like gang bait."

Ren leveled him with an even gaze. "I thought we could go out for dinner, instead of doing takeout. If I'd known you had your heart set on lumpia, I would have skipped the spinning rims."

His face softened, and he loosened his grip on her shoulders. A hand settled into the curve of her neck, and he shook his head. His gaze flicked down to her shoes, and slowly made its way back up to her eyes. "Those boots make your legs look outstanding."

She smirked. "My boyfriend has impeccable taste."

"I hate that term."

"I know."

Kaiba scoffed, shaking his head in amusement. He strode to the passengers side door and opened it, gesturing her inside with a firm wave of his arm. "Are you still hungry?"

Ren grinned, jogging to the car and flouncing inside, bouncing in her seat. The door shut with a snap and she flicked the radio on, turning it to her favorite feel-good station. Despite how much they argued, he always knew how to bring her right back up.


	8. Roleplaying

'_Role-playing can be a fun and exciting way to spice things up in the boudoir! Ask your man what sorts of fantasies you'd like to indulge him in. If you're worried about your performance, start with a familiar setting. Doctor/Nurse, Schoolgirl and Teacher, and Employee/Boss are good starts!'_

Ren raised an eyebrow, shaking her head at the magazine in her lap. She had been sat in Seto's office waiting for him to tie up loose ends at work for the past hour, and had resorted to actually reading the Cosmo sex tips. They were really just the same thing over and over again; reverse cowgirl can be invigorating, give him a handy in the shower, **use lube, **touch the balls, fold yourself in half, I promise, _it's really sexy to someone. _

She threw the magazine on the glass table, eyes flicking back to Seto. She was only just becoming acquainted with the sexual side of Seto Kaiba. She had heard tell of what he was like behind closed doors from a couple of his former flings, and she had certainly heard for herself, the few times she had been around when he had brought girls home, but it was completely different now that she was the one in his bed. The sex thus far had been pretty vanilla, but that was to be expected in a relationship that was this new (they had done it, what, twice now? Three times?). Not that he wasn't _spectacular_; he just seemed a bit reserved. She wanted to know all of his kinks and to hit every single one of them. So far all she had learned was that he was _really _into hair pulling, but other than that, she was completely in the dark.

"Are you into roleplaying?" She suddenly blurted out, the words tumbling out of her mouth before she had the chance to stop them. The tapping of his fingers on the keyboard slowed, and she stared intently at him, standing her ground. She had asked it; she figured she might as well follow through with it. He glanced her way, eyebrow arched.

"Is that a serious question?"

"I don't mean like Skyrim."

Seto snorted, shaking his head. He turned back to his computer screen, resuming his typing. "I sometimes fantasize about what it would be like if you were a nice girl; not vulgar and abrasive, and didn't drive me up the wall."

"Is that a serious answer?"

He turned back to her, an amused smirk playing at her lips. He smirked in return. "I thought you said you had a good read on me."

Ren grinned, rising to her feet and perching herself on the arm of the couch, crossing her arms over her chest. "I think I could make you like roleplaying. I think you're definitely dominant, but you'd let me top if I asked really nicely. I think you like light bondage and that you're not opposed to a little bit of pain. I also think that you like a challenge. You want to earn your dominance, so you wouldn't be angry if I fought for it (and I _will_ fight for it), just as long as you won. And I also think that you really really like to cuddle more than you care to admit."

Seto stared at her, rolling his chair away from the desk and stalking over to the couch. Intensity burned behind his eyes, a smug smile pulling at his lips as he laid his hand on the curve of her neck. His touch sent tingles all the way down her shoulders to the tips of her fingers, and she glanced coyly up at him through auburn bangs. "Which one of those theories would you like to test first?"

Ren grinned, before her mouth was covered with his in a crushing kiss. She braced herself with a hand on the back of the couch, her free hand tangling in his hair as he accosted her lips. '_Well,' _she thought, _'So much for him being reserved.'_


	9. Joy

**Joy**

The shutter of the camera fluttered in rapid succession, the lens capturing every twitch of the leaves of the magnolia tree before her. Ren lowered her eyes to the preview screen, clicking through her last few takes. She exhaled a sigh, glancing back up at the tree.

She didn't know what was wrong with her. She dug into her bag with one hand, twisting the lens off of her camera with the other. For the past two weeks, she hadn't been satisfied with her photography. She couldn't figure out what it was. It wasn't as if she was lacking subject matter; the magnolia tree had just begun to blossom, dumping ivory petals all across the gardens at the Kaiba manor. It was picturesque, unspeakably beautiful, and she wanted nothing more than to capture the moment before the season had passed. But nothing she did pleased her. She felt like a child at play with her mother's camera. The macro lens felt heavy and awkward in her hands as it slipped from the bag, and felt like a burden on the small Nikon. She knew she was just imagining things; she had bought the camera because it had felt just _right _in her slim hands, but now… it didn't feel like it belonged.

Perhaps Ren was the one who didn't belong.

The lens clicked into place and she lifted the camera to her eye once again. She adjusted the view with her free hand, the magnolia slowly coming into focus. She stared intently through the eye of the camera, and the petals of the magnolia shivered beneath her gaze.

"Come on, baby," she whispered, snapping a few tentative test shots. "Smile for me."

The wind ruffled her auburn hair and the flower turned away, its petals wrapping protectively around the stigma. Her Nikon slapped hard against her thighs in defeat, a snarling sigh escaping her. She tore her gaze away from the towering tree, her cheeks flushing despite the chill.

After abandoning her magnolia endeavor, Ren found herself in front of her desktop, poring desperately over Photoshop. If she couldn't make something new, maybe she could fix something old.

'_Maybe this is artist's block,' _she thought idly, zooming into the model's face. She remembered the shoot; it was cold and industrial, and the woman in front of the camera had fit the bill perfectly. She was flawless; with cheekbones you could cut your finger on, and even sharper stilettos. But despite all of her beauty, she had seemed bored. She shifted through her poses like she had done them all before, like nothing was new to her. Like nothing excited her. Her eyes were dull and lifeless, like they were mocking her.

'_Are you new?' _Ren imagined her saying, words spitting like venom from her black lacquered lips. _'Is there nothing you can do to keep me on my toes? Don't you know how to push me? How did you get here? How do you expect to make it in this industry if you. Can. Not. Push. Me.'_

"Fuck youuuu," she sang to herself, zooming in to retouch the model's eyes. She adjusted the levels, sharpening them to an impossible shade of ice blue. But still they looked dull. Bored. Bored with the set. Bored with the photographer. Bored with Ren.

Ren bristled, her brow furrowing and her mouth setting in a hard frown. _'No,' _she convinced herself. _'It's just artist's block.' _She had certainly earned the right to be at that shoot. She had fought tooth and nail to shove her name into the industry. She had sold sets to indie magazines, done private commissions, thrown in free photo editing just for the sake of having a good reputation, and dammit, she had _earned_ that professional reputation.

But what good was reputation if she couldn't deliver?

She shook her head, clicking a hotkey and zooming out of the image. The model stared back at her still, her hands stuffed into her pockets, scowling down her nose. She truly was a beautiful girl. It was a beautiful set. Thanks to everyone but Ren. She saved the file and rolled her chair away from the monitor, finding solace in her knees. At least they wouldn't judge her. Least until she tried to photograph them.

A week passed until Ren took up her camera again, frantic for a good shot. Hazel eyes were wide and frenzied as she scuttled through the mansion, looking for a subject. She had reverted back to her high-school defaults, forcing art where there was none; the old oranges in the refrigerator, her toothbrush, the laundry hamper, the living room carpet, a long shot of the hallway.

Nothing.

There was nothing.

She could create nothing.

She sat on the floor in her closet, staring into the floor-length mirror on the verge of tears. She stared into the mirror, camera in her lap, just waiting. Waiting for something photograph worthy to happen. She had always been told to put emotion into her art, but this sort of emotion just felt perverse. She felt like she was selling out, forcing her feelings into art in the basest of forms. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she couldn't think if it had naturally occurred or if she had squeezed it out for the sake of a cheap photograph.

A mangled cry escaped her and she buried her face in shame. She hated this. This feeling of uselessness. Like she would never work in the industry again. But it wasn't the thought of losing work that upset her the most. It was that she might never have this outlet again. Like she had lost her creativity, one of the only things that made her happy. She wanted to love her art. She wanted it to make people happy. She wanted it to make her happy.

She glanced back up at herself, her mascara smudged beneath her eyes, cheeks ruddy from her tears. Her eyes flicked down at her camera. It had been loyal and true through the years, an extension of her own eyes. It had done its job without fail day in and day out. If anyone wasn't meeting expectations… it certainly wasn't the camera.

Slapping her palms to the ground, she scrabbled to her feet, wrapping the strap of the camera around her wrist. She suddenly craved her bike; she needed a drive to clear her head. She fled the room, wanting to put as much distance as possible between herself and her self-loathing.

"Hey." She was halted in her escape by none other than the big man himself. Seto Kaiba stopped her with a firm hand on her arm, squeezing tight enough to keep her still, but not quite enough to leave a bruise. "You and I need to have a talk."

Ren yanked at her arm, but his grip wouldn't budge. His eyes burned hers in silent judgment, a scowl at his lips. "Let me go," she hissed.

"I've had enough of this. You have been moody and whiny and not yourself this entire month. I am done dealing with it. Explain."

She set her jaw, shooting him a firm glare. "I hardly think you can help me."

"Try anyway."

She scowled, resenting his Seto Kaiba way of barking orders, even when she could tell that he was trying to help. She sighed angrily, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. She hated for him to see her cry. Not that she made it a habit to run around sobbing her eyes out, but she especially hated it when he caught her in the act. It always made her feel even stupider than she already did. "I can't art," she grumbled.

"Speak up."

"I said I can't art!" Ren finally snapped, yanking her arm free. "This," she brandished her camera at him, "this photography thing! I can't do it! Nothing I do is good enough! I used to make such _amazing_ art; people would pay me for _my art! _Now nobody's going to look twice at this _shit-!"_

Before she realized what she was doing, the camera had left her hand. Her eyes widened, and Seto had caught it before the strap around her wrist had time to slacken. He stared down at her, his gaze intense. "We're going to fix this. Today."

"You can't just—"

"Photograph me."

"Ha!" Ren barked, shaking her head. "Right, like your ugly face is going to get me to _enjoy _photography again."

"You're obviously pretty passionate about it, so why don't you at least give it a shot." Seto thrust the camera back at her and took a few steps back, beckoning her down toward the staircase. With an angry scowl at her lips, she flipped the camera strap over her head to rest at the back of her neck and popped the lens cap off. Lifting the viewfinder to her eye, she was met with Seto Kaiba smirking right back at her.

"You're a fucking ass."

The shutter clicked. Once. Twice. He crossed his arms over his chest, walking backwards towards the stairs. A third time. She took a quick jog forward to catch him at a different angle. He sneered down his nose at her. Four times now, the shutter clicked on. She smirked behind the shelter of the lens. "Make that face again."

"Which one?" _Click._

"The one where you look like you own the entire world." _Click click click._

"You mean my resting face?"

Ren laughed aloud, rushing to perch herself atop the railing as he took his first step down the stairs. He glanced over his shoulder amidst the flurry of her lens, his every movement, every fleeting smirk, that glimmer of teasing in his eye captured in digital format. She flung herself from the landing to the middle of the staircase, practically flying down the steps to capture his descent. She exhaled a breath she hadn't noticed she'd been holding in, her heart beating wildly as she waited for that next perfect shot. She rose from her crouch, attempting to halt him so she could get some close-ups, but he swatted her away, continuing his trip down the stairs.

"You have to work for it." Ren grinned, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth as she slid down the banister, focusing madly to get a shot of his face. _Click click click click. _He glanced away from her and her heart stopped. The light from the window lit up his face, emphasizing a flawless silhouette. She scrambled off of the banister, eye never leaving the viewfinder, snapping shots even as she repositioned herself. It was effortless, just a walk down the stairs, but even still…

Ren exhaled a breathy sigh, lowering the camera as he took his final step. "You…" She laughed, and shook her head. She hadn't felt so complete, so joyful in weeks. She could have kissed him.

Seto smirked and took the camera from her, clicking through the preview stills. His eyebrows arched in silent approval, and he handed it back to her. "You're welcome."


	10. Cursed

**Cursed**

"I can't decide if this job is a curse or a blessing."

"Why?"

She turned, peering over her shoulder at Kaiba. She hadn't expected him to answer, as he was too entrenched in his laptop when she had entered the kitchen to say hello, she had just assumed that he was in one of his moods. She shut the refrigerator door, slumping against the bar. "I don't know. The money's great. Mokuba is great. The hours are great. I just don't think I'm going to be making this kind of money as an artist… I dunno." She shrugged. "And then there's—"

"Me?"

A smile quirked at the corner of her mouth. He was most definitely the main reason she was so iffy about her job. Some days she wanted to fling herself at him bodily, and others… Well, they had their ups and downs.

"It's like my relationship with you."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "What about it?"

"Some days I can't decide if you're funny or if I want to bury you beneath the KaibaCorp building."

She smirked, resting her chin in her hand. "I didn't know you could make jokes."

He glanced back at his laptop, resuming his typing. "KaibaCorp building it is."


	11. Zombies

**Zombies**

Ren shifted in her seat, leaning forward towards the television as the analog sticks clacked beneath her thumbs. The familiar rat tat of the virtual submachine gun resounded in the living room, accented by the racketing of Seto's combat rifle and the snarling of the undead. Her heart was in her throat; her shoulders tense as she tore through the horde, picking off trash mobs while Seto went after the Tank. Ren hated Left 4 Dead. She wasn't bad at it; advanced mode was just extraordinarily stressful.

And this is what Seto did to unwind. She let fly a cheer of success as they made it to the getaway vehicle, nearly throwing her controller across the room. Seto slumped back into the sofa, smirking at her from over the pillows. "Level's not over yet."

"I'm done after this. I suck."

"At least you know it."

"Hey!" She frowned, brows knit as she steered her character into the city. "I'm healing your dumb ass, that tank would have fucked you right up had I not been there."

"Sure, Kuroki."

"DO NOT TAKE THAT M-16, KAIBA, I WILL END YOU."

He shook his head, a smirk pulling at his lips. "Witch up ahead."

"I can _hear _the witch, thanks." Ren rolled her eyes, equipping her new weapon. She would have no problem sneaking past the witch, which would keep them from calling the rest of the horde. All they needed to do was sneak into the building ahead of them and they were home free. Once they killed about a million and a half zombies. "Go give her a kiss."

"She looks my type."

"Shut up." She grinned, shoving his shoulder. "She's really just stunning."

"Walk slower. She's going to kill you."

Ren laughed, continuing her light trot through the street. "What? Afraid the witch is going to get you?"

Seto glanced her way, before firing a single shot. There was a horrible screech and Ren screamed, steering her character towards the safe house. "You are such an asshole!" She shouted, peeling off on the heels of Seto's character. His lips were sealed together, fighting hard to hold in a grin. She could hear the witch just behind her, and it was all she could do to tear through the horde in front of her to get to the safe house. "I hate you!"

He let out a short "heh" as he reached their destination, and Ren could almost breathe a sigh of relief. The witch was still on her, just a few more steps and she could breathe again.

Until Seto slammed the safe house door in her face. She shrieked in terror, turning around and firing blindly at the oncoming horde. "Seto!" She flung herself across the couch, shoving her back against him as she frantically picked off zombies. "Open the door! Open the door or kill the witch!"

He cracked a grin, continuing to slam the door on her as he life flashed bright red, the zombies tearing away at her. Her crowbar equipped itself as she ran out of bullets, and finally the screen went grey with a single swipe of the witch's claws. She delivered a solid punch to Seto's arm, dropping the controller to the ground. He grinned broadly as she pummeled him with tiny fists, holding her easily at arm's length. "I'll show you a witch, you dick!"


	12. Change

**Change**

Ren knelt over her bathtub, elbow deep in developing fluid, the bathroom doused in red light. She could hear the buzz of the television seeping through the towel stuffed beneath the door. He was always on the television whenever she was neck deep in something she couldn't get out of. When there was no way of changing the channel.

It still stung to think about him. But more than anything she was just angry. Angry that after all she had done to get away, he was still finding his way into her life. It had been nearly two months since last she had seen him, but at least once a week, his stupid face was on her television or radio, plugging his new revolutionary dueling technology, or promoting the season's tournaments. His voice was in her ear, and all she could think of was his breath on her neck, the haze of lust in his eyes, his lips on hers.

"Oh my god, shut the hell up!" Ren shouted to the ceiling, splashing developer over her shower curtain and up into her face. "You are so pretentious, _fffffaugh!" _

"For _fuck's _sake, Kuroki." Seto snapped, stabbing violently at his phone's touch screen with his phone. He had developed quite the penchant for the f-word in the past months, but found that he only ever needed use of it in regards to Ren. "You are the most unreliable human I have ever employed _in my life." _

He hadn't seen her since July. And still, all he did was curse her name. He shook his head, letting his phone clatter against the countertop. Despite all that had changed, there was so much still the same.


End file.
